As bad as the news was Sunday for the Jaguars on the field in New England, it paled in comparison to the quarterback of the team's website (jaguars.com), Vic Ketchman, going on injured reserve after suffering a heart attack on Christmas.

For me, it was like living my own cardiac nightmare from 2007 all over again. Like Vic, I also had a heart attack that caused 90 percent blockage in one of my ventricles and had two stents inserted to alleviate the problem. Though in Vic's case, he had one put in the day he went to the hospital and will have the second one inserted Tuesday at Baptist Medical Center.

I talked to Vic briefly just before the Jaguars' 35-7 debacle against the Patriots and he was in relatively good spirits, but I could also sense the uneasiness in his voice. Though he's a Pennsylvania tough guy, and a cancer survivor, nobody likes major reminders of their mortality, so please keep Vic in your thoughts and prayers as he starts another road to recovery.

One thing I can say from my own experience, and I'm not suggesting it's this way for everybody, is that having a heart attack was actually a blessing in disguise for me. It forced me to switch to a healthier diet and to make exercising (I walk four miles almost every day) a priority no matter how busy my work schedule gets, especially during football season.

Almost 30 months later, I feel better than I have in years and a healthier lifestyle also allows you to cope better with whatever stress comes along. I'm hoping that my friend and colleague sees the same positive benefits in the future, despite the obvious concerns Vic and his wife, Bonnie, are probably feeling at the moment.

Ketchman's working colleagues at the Times-Union, who have a much deeper appreciation for his sarcasm and wit than many of his faithful readers on jaguars.com, missed him Sunday in the Patriots' press box.

Get well soon, Vic. Looking forward to you avoiding, er, answering more Tim Tebow questions in your "Ask Vic" column whenever it resumes.